The 2026 Hopscotch lineup was just announced, which makes it a good moment to look at how a scrappy downtown experiment turned into one of Raleigh's biggest weekends. Here is where the festival came from and what is worth your time this September.
Where Hopscotch Started
Hopscotch began in 2010, when Greg Lowenhagen and music writer Grayson Currin, both then at the Durham alt-weekly Independent Weekly, decided Raleigh deserved a downtown music festival of its own. The first edition ran September 9 through 11 and packed 130 bands into ten venues, with Public Enemy, Panda Bear, and Broken Social Scene headlining and Raleigh's own The Love Language on the bill. The idea caught on fast.
Rather than fencing everyone into a single field, Hopscotch spread the music across bars, clubs, and outdoor plazas within a few walkable blocks. That format gave fans a reason to wander the city and drop in on sets they never planned to see.
How Hopscotch Grew
The festival changed hands over the years. In 2015 the founders sold it to Hopscotch Presents, and it held onto its reputation for booking across genres, from hip-hop and metal to folk and experimental noise. Roughly a quarter of each year's performers come from inside North Carolina, which is unusual for a festival this size.
Past headliners have included Erykah Badu, Sylvan Esso, Pavement, My Morning Jacket, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The club shows, tucked into rooms like the Pour House, Kings, and Lincoln Theater, are where most regulars spend their nights. Fifteen years in, Hopscotch has become a fixture of the Raleigh calendar.
The 2026 Hopscotch Lineup
This year's festival runs September 10-12, and the lineup covers a lot of ground. Dexter & The Moonrocks bring a West Texas sound they call Western Space Grunge, a mix of country and rock. Cory Wong is a Grammy-nominated funk guitarist known for joyful, high-energy live sets. King Princess anchors the pop side with genre-bending songs and sharp writing. The outdoor City Plaza stage fills out with Soccer Mommy, Momma, DUCKWRTH, Butcher Brown, Liz Cooper, and Annie DiRusso, among others. More than 75 additional acts play the club shows across the weekend.
Who to Catch and What to Do
A few sets are worth planning around. Cory Wong is a safe bet for pure energy. Mdou Moctar, playing a rare solo set, is one of the most gripping guitarists touring right now. The Messthetics with saxophonist James Brandon Lewis pair post-punk musicians with free jazz, and it works. If you want something free, Moore Square Commons offers live music, local vendors, and food all weekend with no pass required, and Totscotch at Marbles Kids Museum runs Saturday morning for families. Three-day passes are $129, with VIP at $299.
Stay Close to the Music
Hopscotch works best when you can walk to it. Revisn's furnished apartments put you within reach of downtown Raleigh's venues, so you can drop your bags, catch a late club set, and skip the drive home. Book your stay for the weekend and make the festival your home base.
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